Sizer for draperies

ABSTRACT

A SIZER FOR DRAPERIES AND OTHER MATERIAL INCLUDING AN OPEN UPRIGHT FRAME, A MOVABLE CLAMP BAR ON THR FRAME, A DRIVE SHEAVE AND CABLE ARRANGEMENT FOR RAISING THE CLAMP BAR, AND A FRAME MOUNTED DRIVE MOTOR FOR OPERATING THE SHEAVE AND CABLE ARRANGEMENT. THE MATERIAL IS SUPPLIED ON MOVABLE WORK TABLES AND IS WITHDRAWN AND RAISED BY ELEVATING OF THE CLAMP BAR.

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ATTORNEYS.

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' 3,559,315 SIZER FOR DRAPERIES James D. Christensen, Maitland, Fla. Florida Decorators Inc., 1126 Solana Ave., Winter Park, Fla. 32789) Filed Apr. 23, 1969, Ser. No. 818,721

Int. Cl. D06c 3/08 U.S. Cl. 38-102.3 8 Claims This invention relates to apparatus for sizing draperies and other similar materials. The in'vention finds particular utility in connection with a series of drapery panels which have been sewn together to form a wide drape for a picture window, wall or the like. In finishing such draperies, it is necessary to accurately size the same so that the length of the draperies will be proper.

In the past, `such drapery sizing has been accomplished by spreading the drapes on long tables, stretching the same, and then cutting the drapes to the desired length. An arrangement of this type is undesirable since it is not entirely accurate, and additionally, since it requires an excessive amount ofI floor space,.particularly if the drapes are to ybe long. Other prior art arrangements have employed upstanding frames of various kinds where the draperies to be sized are stretched therealong, but usually manual means were employed to elevate the drapes to the desired length.

' With the foregoing in mind, it is, therefore, an object of the present invention to overcomethe difficulties and deficiencies of the prior art and to provide in their stead, a new and improved drapery sizer.

Another object of the present invention is to provide I' a drapery sizer which is power operated for extending the drapes, without the need for expending manual labor or energy.

same taut.

Other objects, advantages and salient features of the present invention Iwill become apparent from the following detailed descriptiomwhich, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses a preferred embodi- 'ment thereof.

- IReferring now to 4the drawings, which form a part of this original disclosure:

f FIG. l is a front elevational view of a sizer for draperies in accordance with the principles of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view, looking in the direction-of arrow 2-2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the i line 3--3 of FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. l;

FIG. 7, is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 1.

Patented Feb. 2, 1971 ACC Referring now to such drawings in greater detail, there is shown therein a drapery sizer in accordance with the principles of the present invention, such sizer being generally designated 10. The sizer includes an upstanding frame means generally designated 12 which is in the form of an open upright frame. The frame 12 includes a pair of spaced parallel upstanding side portions 14, each of which is braced along its length, as shown at 16, for strength and rigidity. The frame sides are attached to the floor by means of mounting brackets 18. On the inside of each of the frame side portions 14, a pair of upstanding spaced apart channels 20, 22 are provided, with these channels forming therebetween, an upstanding track or groove 24. The frame 12 also includes a top portion or platform 26 formed 4as an open rectangular framework of a front beam 28, a rear beam 30 and two side beams 32, 32 which are attached to the guide tracks 20, 22.

4The apparatus 10 includes a clamp bar means generally designated 34, such clamp bar means including a laterally elongated beam or member 36 with guide wheels 38 mounted at opposite ends thereof. These guide wheels 38 are trained within the upstanding groove or track 24 to thus guide the clamp bar means for controlled upward and downward movement within the frame 12. Along the front surface of the clamp bar member 36, a plurality of spaced blocks 38 are mounted. In the space between each adjacent pair of blocks 38, there is mounted a clamp member 40 of a conventional type. These clamp members are normally biased to a closed position wherein the jaw portion thereof engages against the front surface of the clamp bar 36, but each clamp 40 can be manually released by application of pressure so that drapery material can be engaged by and gripped by the clamp when manual pressure is released.

A drive means is provided on the apparatus 10 for the purpose of raising and lowering the clamp bar means 34, and this drive means includes a drive motor 42 mounted upon a platform 44 disposed centrally or intermediate of the top frame portion 26 and connected be tween the forward and rear beams 28 and 30. The drive motor 42 has a double-ended drive shaft 46 which extends from opposite ends thereof across the top of the frame means. The drive shaft 46 is engaged at spaced locations along its length in conventional journal bearings 48 which are also mounted between the front and rear beams 28, 30 of the top portion 26 of the frame.

The drive shaft carries at spaced locations therealong, a series of drive sheaves 50, and aligned with each such sheave is an upstanding hollow tubular guide post 52 which extends upwardly from a mounting base 54 at the lloor. The upper end l56 of each guide post 52 can, if desired, be connected to the upper frame portion 26 to thus provide stability for the guide posts. Also, if desired, the entire frame and hence the entire apparatus can be attached against a supporting wall S, as shown in FIG. 5, be means of suitable mounting brackets y58.

A plurality of drive cables i60 are provided, one such drive cable being trained over each drive sheave 50. In the form illustrated, the drive sheave 50 is provided with teeth, such as a gear, and the drive cable 60 is in the form of a roller chain. However, if desired, the drive sheave could -be a pulley and the cable could simply be of the woven type. The rear end 62 of each drive cable `60 extends ldownwardly into one of the hollow guide posts 52 and connects with a counterweight 64. The forward end 66 of each drive cable 60 connects, through a turnbuckle 68 to a block 70 which is fastened to the back of the elongated clamp bar member 36. g

The apparatus also includes mounting or supply means generally designated 72 for the purpose of supplying rolls of drapery or other materials to be sized. As shown in FIG. l, a pair of such supplying means can be provided, disposed in side by side relation with respect to the frame 12, and by referring to FIG. 6, the details thereof will be apparent. Specifically, the supplying means 72 is in the form of a table having a top surface 74, a shelf 76, a series of depending legs 78 and caster type wheels 80 at the 'bottom of the legs. The top surface 74 of the table is provided with a depending peripheral skirt 82 extending entirely around the table, and the forward skirt and the forward portion of the top 74 are covered with canvas or other similar padding material 84. The remaining portion of the top 74 and the skirt 82 can be covered with hardboard 86 or other similar material. A work type tray 88 for holding knives, marking implements, and the like can be provided along the rear of the table. As shown in FIG. 6, a roll R of drapery or like material is provided on the shelf 76 and the end of this roll of material can be unfurled to provide a strip or web of material M which is to be severed after sizing.

A cutter and marking bar is provided across the front of the frame 12, between the sides 14 thereof. This cutter and marker bar assembly is best shown in FIGS. l and 6, and includes a marker bar 90 and a pair of very closely spaced cutter guide bars 92, 92 disposed therebeneath. Finally, a measuring tape can be provided with the housing or casing 94 therefor mounted to one of the frame sides 14 beneath the level of the cutter guide bars 92. The tape housing 94, of course, contains an elongated measuring tape 96 the upper end 98 of which is connected to the clamp bar means 34 and is hence movable therewith.

In operation, the drapery material is sewn into side-byside panels, wound into a roll R and mounted upon one or more of the work tables 72. These work tables are ordinarily positioned immediately adjacent the frame 12, as shown in FIG. 6, which permits the material M to be lifted upwardly and fastened to the clamp `bar means 34 by means of the individual clamp members 40. The blocks 38 between the individual clamps serve to assure that the material will be properly spread, stretched and taut laterally. Then, the drive motor is actuated by a conveniently mounted pushbutton, switch or other control device (not illustrated). Operation of the drive motor 42 rotates the drive shaft 46, the drive sheaves 48 attached thereto, and hence causes the drive cables `60 to exert a force on the clamp bar means 34. The motor 42 is of the reversible type so that the clamp bar means 34 can be raised or lowered, as desired. Movement of the clamp bar means along the frame is, of course, guided by provision of the guide wheels 38 along the tracks 24. Assuming that the motor 42 is operated to raise the clamp bar 34, the material M is unrolled off the roll R and is raised upwardly. Likewise, the measuring tape 96 is being pulled out of its casing 94 and is measuring the length of material. When the height from the clamp bar to the marker bar 90 reaches a desired length, i.e. when the length of the material is properly sized, the operator can strike a mark across the drapery at the level of the marker bar 90. This can be accomplished by the use of chalk or other marking utensil. Then, the material M is severed between the cutter guide bars 92, 92 through the use of a knife, razor or other cutting implement. At this point, the portion of the drapery material below the marked line can be folded under to form a hem, and the hem can be stitched on the spot through utilization of the top surface 74 of the work tables 72. Assuming that there is an extra long length of material to be severed, the work tables can simply be moved laterally away from the frame, thereby stretching the material and unrolling the same off the roll R until an adequate length is reached.

After reading the foregoing detailed description, it will be apparent that the objects set forth at the outset of the specification have been successfully achieved by the present invention.

4 What is claimed is: 1. A sizer for draperies comprising: an upstanding frame; mounting means adapted to contain drapery material to be sized, said mounting means being movable with respect to said frame; f

clamp bar means capable of engaging and gripping the end of drapery material to be sized;

said clamp bar means being movably mounted on said upstanding frame; and

power means operative to move said clamp bar means and the drapery material gripped thereby until a sufficient length of material has been extracted from said mounting means;

said power means including a drive motor mounted on top of said frame, drive shaft means driven by said motor, and coupling means between said drive shaft means and said clamp bar means;

said coupling means including at least two sheaves mounted on said drive shaft means and cable means trained over said sheaves and connected to said clamp bar means.

2. A sizer for draperies as defined in claim 1 wherein said sheaves are toothed and wherein said cable means are chains which engage over the teeth on said sheaves.

3. A sizer for draperies comprising:

an upstanding frame;

mounting means adapted to contain drapery material to be sized, said mounting means being movable with respect to said frame;

clamp bar means capable of engaging and gripping the end of drapery material to be sized;

said clamp bar means being movably mounted on said upstanding frame;

power means operative to move said clamp bar means and the drapery material gripped thereby until a sufiicient length of material has been extracted from said mounting means; and

a measuring tape connected to and movable with said clamp bar means to thus measure the length of drapery material extracted from said mounting means.

4. A sizer for drapery material and other materials, said sizer comprising:

an upstanding open frame including a pair of spaced parallel side portions and a top portion extending between said side portions;

said side portions of said frame having upstanding guide tracks extending therealong; clamp bar means movably mounted on said frame, said clamp bar means including a laterally elongated member having guide wheels on the ends thereof, with said guide wheels being positioned within and movable along said guide tracks; said clamp bar means also including a plurality of spaced blocks mounted along the forward face of said laterally elongated member and a plurality of clamp members, one mounted in each space between an adjacent pair of blocks; drive motor mounted on said top portion of said frame substantially intermediate said side frame portions; drive shaft extending from each side of said drive motor and bearing means supporting both of said drive shafts; drive sheaves mounted in spaced relationship along each of said drive shafts; plurality of upstanding hollow tubular guide posts, said guide posts being disposed at the rear of said frame with one guide post being aligned with each drive sheave; plurality of drive cables, one trained over each of said drive sheaves, with said drive cables each having a forward end connected with said clamp bar means and having a rear end connected with a counterweight disposed Within a guide post; and

means for supplying rolls of material to be sized, said means being positionable within said open frame to enable said material to be clamped by said clamp members;

said drive motor being operative to raise said clamp bar means and the material clamped thereto until a suflcient length of said material has been stretched along the front of said frame means.

5. A sizer as dened in claim 4 wherein said means for supplying rolls of material includes at least one table having a shelf thereon to support said material, a top surface thereon to provide a working surface for pressing or otherwise processing said material, and mounting wheels to enable said table to be moved laterally relative to said ame.

6. A sizer as defined in claim 4 wherein said frame includes a laterally extending bar between said side portions and beneath said top portion, said bar providing a cutting surface for severing said material when a sulicient length thereof has been removed from said supply means.

7. A sizer as defined in claim 5 further including a measuring tape mounted on said frame, with the lead end of said tape attached to said clamp bar means, said tape being adapted to measure the material removed from said supply means.

8. A sizer as defined in claim 4 further including a turnbuckle connected between the forward end of each drive cable and the clamp bar means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,311,653 7/1919` Koepp 38-l02.3 1,565,513 12/1925 Schramm 38-l02.1 2,663,118 12/1953 Piper et al. 38-102.1

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner 

